All Aboard and Local officials approve funding for quiet zones

All Aboard Florida, the Palm Beach Metropolitan Planning Organization and the Broward Metropolitan Planning Organization announced today that funding has been secured to create a continuous quiet zone between the City of Hallandale Beach and downtown West Palm Beach along the Florida East Coast Railway.

A quiet zone, which is designated by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), is an uninterrupted section of railroad where additional safety measures have been installed at at-grade crossings to eliminate the need for train horns when approaching public highway-rail grade crossings.

Train horns may still be used in emergency situations.

As stated by federal regulations, quiet zones can only be requested by local municipalities or authorities that have jurisdiction over the roadway. However, the significant investment being made by All Aboard Florida for safety improvements at each grade crossing will drastically reduce the cost of improvements otherwise associated with the introduction of quiet zones.

"All Aboard Florida represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to realize the benefit of quiet zones at the lowest possible cost, in the quickest possible time frame and the easiest possible process," said P. Michael Reininger, President and Chief Development Officer of All Aboard Florida.

"We are committed to working together with local governments along the planned route to realize quiet zones, as well as assist with needed engineering and construction management to streamline these improvements."

Before quiet zones go into effect, local governments must apply with the FRA. Quiet zones will be in place when All Aboard Florida begins operations between the City of Hallandale Beach and downtown West Palm Beach by the end of 2016.

"Quiet zones have been long-desired by the communities along the rail corridor, with the mitigation of both safety and noise being the utmost importance to members of the community," said City of Boca Raton Mayor Susan Haynie and Chair of the Palm Beach Metropolitan Planning Organization.

"By capitalizing on All Aboard Florida's investment and working regionally with our partners to the south, we are able to create a safer and quieter railway for the benefit of our residents and at a significantly reduced cost savings."

As construction begins over the next several months, All Aboard Florida will invest more than $60 million to relocate and/or replace the grade crossing warning devices at every crossing between downtown Miami and West Palm Beach.

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